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Quotes of the Day:
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.”
– Robert Lynd
"Competition is the law of the jungle, but cooperation is the law of civilization."
– Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921)
“If publishers and editors exert themselves to keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened of prosecution, but because they are frightened of public opinion. In this country, intellectual cowardice is the worst enemy a writer or journalist has to face, and that fact does not seem to me to have had the discussion it deserves”
– George Orwell
1. Top Russia security official arrives in North Korea, state media say
2. Ukraine ceasefire, N.K. leader's trip to Moscow may top agenda for Shoigu-Kim meeting
3. Court rejects arrest warrants for 2 presidential security officials
4. Opposition parties introduce motion to impeach acting President Choi
5. FM Cho calls for 'proactive' efforts to keep positive momentum in bilateral ties with Japan
6. 2 Air Force pilots suspended from air duty for 1 yr after accidental bombing of civilian area
7. North Korean authorities emphasize necessity of 'strengthening national defense' to residents (And RFA Update)
8. Korea-US and Korea-US-Japan training to continue even after Trump's second term
9. Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine jeopardizes North Korean’s war bonanza
10. North Korea slams US for sending ‘weird questionnaires’ to UN organizations
11. Seoul investigating two North Koreans found on boat in Yellow Sea
12. Ukraine to consult with S. Korea, int'l community over N. Korean POWs: top envoy
13. Sanctioned North Korean apples now for sale at major Russian supermarkets
14. S. Korea, China to work on restoring cultural exchanges amid Beijing's content ban
15. Prime minister's impeachment verdict to be litmus test for ruling on president
16. Seoul wary of Trump's US Forces Japan budget cuts impacting USFK
17. Want to End the Ukraine Conflict? Look at Finland's ‘Winter War’
1. Top Russia security official arrives in North Korea, state media say
What will be on the agenda? Most likely Kim's continued support for Putin's war in Ukraine. This is Kim Jong Un's main fundraiser at the moment. Then there will be discussion of continued support to the Russian military if there is a cease fire. The Russia military will have to refit and rebuild while sustaining a force on the Ukraine border. It will need to replenish its ammunition supplies and replace lost equipment so this could keep north Korean military factories' production lines operating for some time (and continue to make money for Kim) . And lastly, and perhaps most important to Kim Jong Un, is what kind of advanced military technology can he receive from Russia to support his nuclear and missile and submarine programs.
Top Russia security official arrives in North Korea, state media say
https://www.reuters.com/world/top-russia-security-official-arrives-north-korea-tass-says-2025-03-21/
By Reuters
March 21, 20252:14 AM EDTUpdated 6 hours ago
Item 1 of 4 Russian President Vladimir Putin's top security adviser Sergei Shoigu disembarks a plane as he arrives in North Korea, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency March 21, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS
[1/4]Russian President Vladimir Putin's top security adviser Sergei Shoigu disembarks a plane as he arrives in North Korea, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency March 21, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
SEOUL, March 21 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, opens new tab's top security adviser Sergei Shoigu has arrived in North Korea and plans to meet its leader Kim Jong Un, the TASS news agency reported on Friday, his latest visit amid advances in security ties between the countries.
The TASS report did not have further details. North Korean state media KCNA also reported on Shoigu's arrival later on the day.
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A delegation led by Shoigu was greeted by senior government officials and Moscow's ambassador in Pyongyang, Alexandr Matsegorag, KCNA said.
The former defence minister earlier made visits to Pyongyang as North Korea geared up to deploy troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean officials have said North Korea has deployed more than 10,000 troops who were sent into combat in Russia's eastern Kursk region, and also shipped heavy weapons including artillery and ballistic missiles.
North Korea is believed to have received military and civilian technology and economic assistance from Moscow in return.
Neither Pyongyang nor Moscow has acknowledged Pyongyang's deployment of troops and weapons, but said they continued to implement a strategic partnership treaty signed in June last year that includes a mutual defence pact.
Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Ed Davies and Stephen Coates
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2. Ukraine ceasefire, N.K. leader's trip to Moscow may top agenda for Shoigu-Kim meeting
Kim Jong Un wants to figure out how he can still benefit from a ceasefire. Will he offer to put "peacekeeping troops" or defense troops along the Russian border with Ukraine? Afterall the nKPA has 7 decades of deployment on a DMZ.
(News Focus) Ukraine ceasefire, N.K. leader's trip to Moscow may top agenda for Shoigu-Kim meeting | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · March 21, 2025
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- Russia's top security official may discuss ongoing efforts for a ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine and the North Korean leader's potential visit to Moscow during his talks with Kim Jong-un, experts said Friday.
Earlier in the day, Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia's Security Council, arrived in Pyongyang to meet Kim, Russia's Tass news agency reported, marking the latest in a recent series of high-level exchanges between the two countries.
Shoigu's trip to Pyongyang comes at a delicate time when Russian and Ukrainian officials have held separate talks with the United States for a ceasefire in the war and amid speculation that Kim may travel to Moscow in May.
Experts said Shoigu, widely viewed as a "special envoy" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, is likely to share the latest details on the ceasefire negotiations and discuss the future of the two countries' cooperation in the military and other sectors.
As North Korea has sent more than 11,000 troops to Russia's western front-line region of Kursk to support Moscow's war efforts since last year, attention has been paid to what Moscow would provide to Pyongyang in return.
This file photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 14, 2024, shows Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu (L) meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) in Pyongyang. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Shoigu has played a key role in bilateral ties in recent years, meeting Kim in his visits to Pyongyang in July 2023 and September last year, just months after Kim and Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in Pyongyang in June.
Shortly after Shoigu's trip to Pyongyang last year, North Korea dispatched troops to Russia in October in support of its fight against a major Ukrainian offensive that took place in Kursk earlier that year.
"Due to the role of North Korean forces, Russia has recently effectively taken back the Kursk region," Hyun Seong-soo, vice president of the Korea Institute for National Unification, said. "The two sides will confirm their stance over the price of North Korean forces' blood for the victory in Kursk."
Observers have raised concerns that Pyongyang could be receiving advanced military technology for its weapons development programs, including intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-powered submarines, in return for sending troops to Russia.
Earlier this month, North Korea unveiled it was building a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time, which experts say would likely be impossible without outside help.
Meanwhile, the talks between Shoigu and Kim could also feature the North Korean leader's possible visit to Russia as an agenda item, considering Putin's invitation to Kim to visit his country during their talks in Pyongyang last June.
Observers have raised the possibility of the two leaders meeting on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Russia's Victory Day that commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko held talks with North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui on Saturday and discussed "top-level" contact between the two countries, Tass earlier reported, fueling speculation over Kim's potential visit to Russia.
Shoigu's trip also comes after South Korea and the U.S. wrapped up their major joint springtime military exercise Thursday, raising the possibility that the Russian official could discuss other areas for military cooperation with the North.
"(They) could discuss joint North Korea-Russia military exercises in the East Sea and announce them," Hyun said.
North Korea has long denounced South Korea-U.S. military drills as rehearsals for an invasion against it despite the allies maintaining that such exercises are defense in nature.
This file photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 14, 2024, shows Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu (R) embracing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · March 21, 2025
3. Court rejects arrest warrants for 2 presidential security officials
A positive sign?
(LEAD) Court rejects arrest warrants for 2 presidential security officials | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES paras 2-5 with court decision on arrest warrants)
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Friday turned down a prosecutors' request for warrants to arrest two Presidential Security Service (PSS) officials accused of obstructing investigators' attempt to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in January.
The Seoul Western District Court released the result of its warrant review on acting PSS chief Kim Seong-hoon and Lee Kwang-woo, chief of the PSS's bodyguard division, hours after it held a hearing to determine whether to issue the writs.
Prosecutors had filed for the arrest warrants in connection with the failed first attempt to detain Yoon on Jan. 3.
The court found that the charges filed against them were "disputable" and thus it would be "excessively limiting their right to defense" if the warrants were granted.
The court also said there is little risk of them destroying evidence or fleeing.
Kim and Lee are accused of obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant for Yoon, taking unjust personnel measures against PSS officials who disobeyed their orders and instructing subordinates to delete records of phone conversations between Yoon and military commanders involved in his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
"I was taught and trained that the highest honor for a security guard is to dedicate my life for the president's safety," Kim told reporters as he arrived at the court. "If we were to neglect this duty for fear of punishment, I see no reason for the existence of the PSS."
Asked whether his actions were based on the president's orders, Kim said they were not and that he was simply carrying out his duties under the law.
Lee entered the court without answering reporters' questions.
Prosecutors previously rejected the police's request to seek arrest warrants for Kim and Lee three times and twice, respectively, but a warrant review panel sided with the police earlier this month, concluding it was appropriate for the prosecution to request the warrants.
Police applied for the warrants again on Monday, and the prosecution filed them the following day.
Kim Seong-hoon (C), the acting chief of the Presidential Security Service, answers reporters' questions before attending an arrest warrant hearing at the Seoul Western District Court on March 21, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
sookim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
4. Opposition parties introduce motion to impeach acting President Choi
Is the opposition party making an error here? This is the type of action that seems to be turning people away from supporting the impeachment of President Yoon. It appears to be confirming one of the reasons for his martial law decision, specifically that the opposition party is obstructing governance due to external influence and therefore is harmful to the nation (which of course is criticized as a conspiracy theory).
(2nd LD) Opposition parties introduce motion to impeach acting President Choi | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · March 21, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS ruling party's reaction in paras 7-10)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- Five opposition parties submitted a motion to impeach acting President Choi Sang-mok on Friday over his non-appointment of a ninth justice at the Constitutional Court.
Lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and four minor parties submitted the impeachment motion at the National Assembly at 2 p.m.
"Despite a unanimous ruling by the Constitutional Court justices, (Choi) has not followed the ruling yet, though three weeks have already passed," Kim Yong-min, the DP's deputy floor leader for policy, told reporters.
In late December, Choi appointed two justices to the court but held off on the appointment of opposition-recommended Justice candidate Ma Eun-hyuk, citing the need for a bipartisan consensus.
The DP has strongly criticized Choi, noting the Constitutional Court's decision that Choi's non-appointment of the candidate is an "unconstitutional" act that infringes upon the right of the National Assembly.
The parties cited four other reasons for impeachment, including Choi's alleged involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol's Dec. 3 martial law bid and the failure to appoint Supreme Court judge candidate Ma Yong-ju.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) blasted the opposition for the impeachment motion.
PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong said DP Chairman Lee Jae-myung has begun destroying national affairs in an act of "terrorism," while also citing Lee's past criminal record and other charges against him. Kweon also accused Lee of making a senseless, emotionally-charged decision only aimed at ruining the nation.
PPP spokesperson Shin Dong-wook said impeaching Choi, who also serves as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, is akin to "abandoning the economy."
"The people are asking who is really committing treason now, and the Democratic Party must answer that," Shin said in a statement. "We express our deep regret over such irrational behavior. It is an act of subversion of the Constitution to make a habit of submitting impeachment motions, which paralyze state affairs and hinder judicial functions."
This undated file photo shows acting President Choi Sang-mok. (Yonhap)
By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session.
If National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, who holds the authority to open plenary sessions, does not convene one before the deadline, the motion could be scrapped.
The opposition's move came as the Constitutional Court is set to deliver its ruling on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment over martial law-related allegations next Monday. No date has been set for a ruling on the impeachment of Yoon.
Consent by at least six justices is necessary to uphold Yoon's impeachment, with the suspended president's fate in the hands of the nine-member court. Currently, the court has an eight-member bench.
Rep. Kim Yong-min (2nd from R), the main opposition Democratic Party's deputy floor leader for policy, and minor opposition party lawmakers submit an impeachment motion against acting President Choi Sang-mok at the National Assembly in Seoul on March 21, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · March 21, 2025
5. FM Cho calls for 'proactive' efforts to keep positive momentum in bilateral ties with Japan
Remember that in the first draft of the impeachment articles the opposition submitted, it accused President Yoon of treason because his effort for trilateral relations hinderd relations with China and north Korea. Of course they had to eliminate this from subsequent articles because of the political blowback. but we should remember that they show their true colors (anti-American sentiment versus pro-nK/PRC sentiment)
FM Cho calls for 'proactive' efforts to keep positive momentum in bilateral ties with Japan | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Friday called for both South Korea and Japan to make "proactive" efforts to keep the positive momentum alive in their bilateral relations, rather than one waiting for the other to change first.
Cho made the remark during his courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo, where Cho is visiting to have bilateral and trilateral talks with his Japanese and Chinese counterparts -- Takeshi Iwaya and Wang Yi, respectively.
Cho held a separate one-on-one meeting with Ishiba, following a joint courtesy call on the prime minister with Wang.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (front, L) meets Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (R) during a one-on-one courtesy call at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on March 21, 2025, in this photo provided by Cho's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"Minister Cho said to sustain the positive momentum in South Korea-Japan relations, both countries should focus on making proactive efforts to change themselves rather than expecting the other side to change first," the foreign ministry in Seoul said in a release.
"The minister added that both nations must do their utmost to enhance bilateral relations and strengthen trilateral cooperation with the United States," it said.
Ishiba stressed the significance of the bilateral relations between Tokyo and Seoul and the trilateral cooperation with the U.S., calling for "continued cooperation to maintain and develop bilateral ties based on mutual trust and respect," according to the Seoul ministry.
On Friday, Cho also met with Japan's Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and discussed bilateral relations. They agreed to continue the positive mood in the relationship, as the two countries are preparing to mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic ties.
(From L to R) Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul poses with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, during a courtesy call also joined by Wang, in Tokyo, on March 21, 2025, in this photo provided by Cho's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Earlier in the day, Cho attended a meeting with Japanese business leaders, including those from the Japan Business Federation.
Cho highlighted the importance of business leaders' roles in advancing the future-oriented cooperation between the two neighbors, especially in the context of uncertainties from the U.S. Donald Trump administration's policies.
"Both South Korea and Japan are U.S. allies and highly dependent on the U.S. economy," the minister said. "I hope we can work together to overcome the new challenges following the launch of the new Trump administration and contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region."
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (4th from L) attends a meeting with Japanese business leaders in Tokyo on March 21, 2025. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
6. 2 Air Force pilots suspended from air duty for 1 yr after accidental bombing of civilian area
2 Air Force pilots suspended from air duty for 1 yr after accidental bombing of civilian area | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- The Air Force on Friday suspended two pilots from air duty for one year after they mistakenly dropped multiple bombs on a civilian village earlier this month, injuring dozens of residents.
On March 6, two KF-16 fighter jets dropped eight MK-82 bombs outside a training range in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, during live-fire drills, injuring 52 people, including 38 civilians.
The Air Force has booked the two pilots on charges of negligence resulting in injury, and conducted a qualification review of the two pilots. Under the disciplinary review process, a person responsible for misconduct can face penalties ranging from suspension to dismissal.
The suspension was decided as the investigation into the incident is still under way and there will be another qualification review once the defense ministry completes its probe, an Air Force official said.
In the interim probe released earlier this month, the Air Force determined that the pilot's mistake in entering wrong target coordinates was the direct cause of the accidental bombing.
The Air Force has dismissed two unit commanders over their failure to give specific instructions to their subordinates.
Air Force personnel work on the site of an accidental bombing in Pocheon, some 40 kilometers north of Seoul, in this March 10, 2025, file photo. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
7. North Korean authorities emphasize necessity of 'strengthening national defense' to residents (And RFA Update)
Kim generates the perception of external threats to justify the sacrifice and suffering of the Koren people as he prioritizes nuclear, missile, and advanced military capabilities over their welfare. He must deny human rights in order to remain in power. And he fears the Korean people, especially when armed with information, more than he fears the combined ROK and US militaries.
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
It looks like the RAF will continue the struggle with providing news to north Korea.
This was posted today on the RFA web site. This Is a Google translation from the Korean service website):
We at Radio Free Asia (RFA) are operating on a reduced basis due to the US government’s funding cutoff on March 15. However, we will continue to provide limited updates through our website and social media. Thank you for your continued interest and support.
I received this email, which is representative of many I have received from RFA journalists today.
As you may have seen in the news, RFA is facing serious operational challenges due to the U.S. government’s funding freeze. While our overseas bureaus, including Seoul, will continue operating for now, most staff at the Washington, D.C. headquarters have been placed on furlough, except those with a working visa.
As of Friday, March 21, at 5 PM, I will no longer have access to the RFA building or this email account. Any form of volunteer work is also legally prohibited.
I sincerely appreciate your support in our efforts to help North Koreans. Your comments were very helpful. Though my time at RFA was only about three years, it was meaningful, and I learned a lot. I took great pride in this work, and it’s heartbreaking to see it come to an abrupt halt.
North Korean authorities emphasize necessity of 'strengthening national defense' to residents
Seoul-Kim Ji-eun xallsl@rfa.org
2025.03.21
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/03/21/north-korea-mock-usa-face/
Nuclear test success rally held at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang
A rally commemorating a successful nuclear test is held at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang in September 2016. (Reuters)
Anchor: North Korea has emphasized its 'intercontinental ballistic missile' capabilities and stressed to its citizens the necessity of 'strengthening national defense capabilities.' Reporter Kim Ji-eun reports from inside North Korea.
A source from North Hamgyong Province (who requested anonymity for safety reasons) told Radio Free Asia on the 18th, “This month, we learned that ‘North Korea has achieved peace,’” and “under the leadership of the General Secretary (Kim Jong-un), the US imperialists and their followers were severely beaten in the face.”
The source pointed out that, “This month, regular learning was conducted as a learning material from the ‘Korean Workers’ Party Publishing House’ distributed to each factory, enterprise, and resident,” and that, “It was propagandized that the thunder of the ‘March 18 Revolution’ (in 2017) that completely succeeded in the ground jet test of a high-powered engine (rocket engine) was a great event that declared the new birth of the North Korean missile industry.”
Also, "At the podium, the lecturer passionately argued, 'At that time, the world's media was competitively claiming that North Korea had achieved peace, and that North Korea was mocking the United States to its face,'" the report said. "Some people expressed their disappointment, asking, 'Whose peace are you talking about?'"
He continued, “Some residents are protesting, asking what the ‘peace of Joseon’ that the authorities are claiming is,” and asked, “Can we really call this a situation where there is nothing to eat or wear, crime is rampant, and people cannot go out at night, peace?”
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March 2025. Part of the educational materials distributed by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House (Data - Kim Ji-eun)
In this regard, a resident source in Yanggang Province (requesting anonymity for safety reasons) told Radio Free Asia on the 19th, “These days, the party is heating up its propaganda against the United States,” and “Without a source, they are claiming, by comparing it to the media in other countries, that ‘the United States tried to show off its power by raising the banner of using military force in the North Korea issue, but instead, it ended up getting into even bigger trouble by being fiercely counterattacked by North Korea. ’”
Ultimatum: If international sanctions are imposed again, nuclear and ballistic missile tests will continue
The authorities also said, “(Through the study lecture), ‘North Korea counterattacked the bluffing United States by saying, ‘Let’s try it if we have to.’ In other words, North Korea issued an ultimatum to the United States that it would continue testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles if international sanctions were imposed again ,’” emphasizing an unnamed media report at the time.
He then reported that “the authorities emphasized (in the lecture) that ‘North Korea’s ultra-hardline actions have resulted in rendering the U.S. military pressure ineffective,’ and that “there have been continuous sighs and cries from within the enemies that even though they are pouring astronomical amounts of money into building a missile defense system, they cannot stop North Korea’s missiles.”
Meanwhile, the authorities encouraged people to "dedicate themselves to the project of strengthening national defense capabilities with a sense of pride in being part of a powerful nation led by the General Secretary (Kim Jong-un)", but added that they asked, "In response, residents are currently facing a threat to their survival due to the dire food shortage, and if you strengthen national defense capabilities again, are you saying that we (North Korean residents) are all going to die?"
This is Ji-eun Kim of RFA's Radio Free Asia in Seoul.
8. Korea-US and Korea-US-Japan training to continue even after Trump's second term
Some good news here. This will not make north Korea or China happy as they are doing what they can to undermine this cooperation.
Excerpts:
However, a senior White House official said in a telephone press conference held ahead of the US-Japan summit on the 7th of last month regarding the direction of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the US, and Japan, “We will continue to support efforts for trilateral cooperation,” and “We will generally see continuity in policy.”
“Trump’s 2nd term will continue Korea-US and Korea-US-Japan military cooperation”
Dennis Wilder, a Georgetown University professor and former director of the White House National Security Council’s (NSC) Asia director, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 20th, “There is a second part to the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ policy,” and that is ‘Not America Only.’
Professor Wilder assessed that senior members of Trump's second-term national security team fully understand the need for strong alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to counter threats from China and North Korea.
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
Korea-US and Korea-US-Japan training to continue even after Trump's second term
WASHINGTON-Lee Sang-min lees@rfa.org
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/03/20/north-korea-south-exercise-joint/
2025.03.20
Anchor: Even after the inauguration of the second Trump administration, joint training between Korea and the United States, and between Korea, the United States, and Japan continues. Reporter Lee Sang-min reports.
First ROK-US-Japan naval exercise since Trump's second term begins
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command announced in a press release on the 20th that it conducted maritime training with the South Korean Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force for three days starting on the 17th .
This training was conducted in the open sea south of Jeju Island, and a total of seven ships participated, including four U.S. Navy ships including the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson of the 1st Carrier Strike Group, two South Korean Navy ships including the Sejong the Great (Aegis destroyer), and the Ikazuchi (destroyer) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The command said the exercise was designed to improve interoperability and readiness and included training in fleet navigation, advanced maritime communications, maritime interdiction operations, and air combat.
This training is the first joint ROK-US-Japan maritime training since the inauguration of the second Trump administration.
In addition, the ROK-US joint military exercise 'Shield of Freedom' ended on the 20th after 11 days of training.
This training, which began on the 10th, analyzed North Korea-Russia military cooperation and various armed conflicts to prepare for realistic threats such as North Korean military strategies, tactics, and changes in power, and conducted training in various areas including land, sea, air, space, cyber, and electromagnetic fields.
This 'Shield of Freedom' exercise is also the first large-scale joint exercise between South Korea and the U.S. since the inauguration of the second Trump administration.
Earlier, on the 20th of last month, the ROK-US Air Force conducted joint air training over the Korean Peninsula for the first time since the inauguration of the second Trump administration. The US strategic bomber 'B-1B' also participated in this training.
Also, on the 10th of last month, the US Navy's Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine 'Alexandria' entered Busan.
This is the first time a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine has entered South Korea since the inauguration of the second Trump administration.
Soldiers of the Tank Battalion TF of the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division of the Army disembark from an armored vehicle and occupy the target (provided by the ROK Army)
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In this way, joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States and between South Korea, the United States and Japan are continuing even after the inauguration of the second Trump administration.
The joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States and between South Korea, the United States and Japan were strongly promoted during the term of former US President Joe Biden, and there was interest in whether they would continue after President Trump, who suspended large-scale military exercises between South Korea and the United States during his first term in office to negotiate with North Korea, took office again.
In addition, there are observations that the Trump second administration's insistence on an "America First" policy and its demand for increased military spending by allies could weaken security cooperation between South Korea and the United States and between South Korea, the United States and Japan.
However, a senior White House official said in a telephone press conference held ahead of the US-Japan summit on the 7th of last month regarding the direction of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the US, and Japan, “We will continue to support efforts for trilateral cooperation,” and “We will generally see continuity in policy.”
“Trump’s 2nd term will continue Korea-US and Korea-US-Japan military cooperation”
Dennis Wilder, a Georgetown University professor and former director of the White House National Security Council’s (NSC) Asia director, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 20th, “There is a second part to the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ policy,” and that is ‘Not America Only.’
Professor Wilder assessed that senior members of Trump's second-term national security team fully understand the need for strong alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to counter threats from China and North Korea.
As an example, he introduced that after the inauguration of Trump's second term, the Quad foreign ministers' meeting, a security meeting among the US, Japan, Australia, and India, was held, and that US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard visited India on the 17th.
He also said that military cooperation between South Korea, the United States, and South Korea, the United States and Japan will continue, given that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will make his first visit to Asia next week.
Defense Secretary Hegseth will make his first visit to the U.S. territories of Guam, Japan and the Philippines since taking office.
9. Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine jeopardizes North Korean’s war bonanza
Kim is likely trying to figure out how he can monetize what comes next after a cease fire.
Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine jeopardizes North Korean’s war bonanza
DPRK’s lucrative arms trade with Russia will suffer after ceasefire, pushing it toward China and potentially even the US
Andrei Lankov March 21, 2025
https://www.nknews.org/2025/03/trumps-push-for-peace-in-ukraine-jeopardizes-north-koreans-war-bonanza/
Images: KCNA, edited by NK News
Just two months into Donald Trump’s presidency, North Korea is already facing a shifting geopolitical landscape that could have profound consequences for its future. While Trump has not yet taken direct action on the Korean Peninsula, his broader foreign policy moves — particularly his push to end the war between Russia and Ukraine — could reshape Pyongyang’s strategic calculations.
Right now, Trump is focused on ending the first war fought between two developed states in 80 years. As peace talks gain traction, North Korea will need to assess how the potential resolution of the European conflict could impact its military, diplomatic and economic standing.
If Trump successfully brokers a peace deal that includes concessions to Moscow, this could put in jeopardy Pyongyang’s status as a supplier of military aid to Russia. Leader Kim Jong Un may then pivot back to China and even resume talks with the U.S., looking for sanctions relief that would help ease his country’s isolation.
However, from Pyongyang’s perspective, a likely Ukrainian armistice is not a cause for celebration. While the end of the war will not be a disaster for North Korea, it will take away important opportunities — particularly lucrative financial gains — that it cannot easily replicate under different circumstances.
Kim Jong Un at a weapons expo in Pyongyang | Image: KCNA (Nov. 22, 2024)
DISAPPEARING INCOME
Hardly any country in the world has benefited from the war in Eastern Europe as much as North Korea. Once the conflict began, it quickly became evident that the primary weapon systems in use were heavy artillery and drones — a type of armament largely overlooked by modern military powers, but not by North Korea.
Large-scale shipments of ammunition, along with the dispatch of troops, became a gold mine for the North Korean leadership, allowing them to earn a significant sum from the conflict. Estimates suggest that the DPRK’s revenue from selling ammunition and weapons to Russia has exceeded $5 billion. Given that even in the best times North Korea’s export volume was just below $3.5 billion, this is an impressive sum.
If the war comes to an end, this lucrative source of income will disappear. While Russia may continue to order some ammunition and weaponry from North Korea even after hostilities cease, the scale of these orders is unlikely to remain substantial.
Moreover, having learned valuable lessons from the war, Russia’s leadership will likely prioritize domestic production of essential military supplies to reduce reliance on potentially unreliable foreign sources.
The end of hostilities, along with a potential reconciliation visit between Russia and the U.S., does not bode well for non-military exchanges between Moscow and Pyongyang. Under the current circumstances, it seems unlikely that the Russian government will be willing to subsidize economic interactions with North Korea. However, without such subsidies, trade between the two countries is unsustainable.
The opening ceremony of the “year of DPRK-China friendship” held in Pyongyang in April 2024 | Image: KCNA (April 12, 2024)
A BACKUP IN BEIJING
The only area where a significant increase in exchange volumes can be expected is in the dispatch of North Korean workers to Russia. Russia is experiencing a severe labor shortage, and this issue will likely persist even after the war ends.
Additionally, there will be a demand for workers willing to take on dangerous reconstruction jobs in the war-torn cities and towns of Donbas, where unexploded shells and bombs still litter the landscape. This makes the region an ideal destination for North Korean construction workers, whose numbers could easily reach 50,000 or even 100,000.
However, their earnings would only compensate for a fraction of the revenue that the DPRK previously received from arms sales. Even under optimistic estimates, 50,000 workers will generate some $250-300 million per year, less than one-tenth of the estimated ammunition sales revenue.
But North Korea always has a backup option — China. While Pyongyang has recently sought to exploit tensions between Moscow and Beijing, playing its two major sponsors against each other, it can easily turn back to China if Russian support is lost.
There is little doubt that the Chinese government will welcome back its wayward ally, forgiving and forgetting North Korea’s bold attempt to flirt with Moscow at Beijing’s expense. China views North Korea as a strategic buffer zone and is willing to overlook much of what Pyongyang does to maintain its influence.
Thus, the most immediate impact of a potential Ukrainian truce would likely be North Korea’s return to China’s embrace. But it remains to be seen how long North Korea will remain in a relationship it does not necessarily favor.
Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump at their last meeting at Panmunjom in 2019 | Image: KCNA
A ‘SMALL DEAL’
A peace deal or armistice in Ukraine — which Donald Trump will likely hail as a major foreign policy triumph — will probably encourage the U.S. president to pursue what he has always wanted: reopening negotiations with Pyongyang.
His goal would be to achieve a “small deal” — a swap of North Korea’s known nuclear research and production facilities for the removal of some U.N. sanctions. One can even envision the Russian government, or even Vladimir Putin himself, acting as an intermediary between Pyongyang and Washington.
Trump and Kim Jong Un discussed a similar agreement during the U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi in Feb. 2019, but the two sides failed to reach a mutually acceptable compromise. This time, however, North Korea is under less pressure to make concessions, so it will likely demand greater incentives, such as diplomatic recognition, economic assistance or the discontinuation of the joint U.S.-ROK military exercises, while offering to surrender less.
Still, a Hanoi-style compromise — also known as a “small deal” —- remains possible and even likely.
Such a deal would provide North Korea with multiple opportunities, including a chance to step out of China’s shadow. The relaxation of sanctions would allow Pyongyang to engage in trade and other forms of economic cooperation with countries that would otherwise be unwilling to violate U.N. Security Council resolutions, giving the DPRK greater diplomatic and economic flexibility.
Finally, after signing a small deal with North Korea, Donald Trump’s administration would likely start questioning the necessity of the U.S. military presence in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.
His long-time hostility to the U.S. military presence in South Korea is well-known. A complete withdrawal of U.S. forces is unlikely — but not entirely impossible — while a significant reduction in the size and strength of the U.S. Forces Korea is quite probable.
North Korea would undoubtedly welcome such a development with delight.
Edited by Alannah Hill
10. North Korea slams US for sending ‘weird questionnaires’ to UN organizations
Some things just make you scratch your head and wonder.
Moderate tone so as not to offend President Trump?
Is this an unreasonable question?
The North Korean criticism appeared to refer to reports that the U.S. Office of Management and Budget sent inquiries with 36 questions to U.N. aid agencies, including the U.N. Refugee Agency and the International Committee of the Red Cross. One of the questions reportedly asked whether the organizations cooperate with groups or parties that support communist, socialist or anti-American ideologies.
But rumors I am hearing from friends associated with the UN is that in fact there will be a huge cut to US funding for the UN. It will likely be the largest (and most devastating) cut in history.
Excerpts:
The U.S. questionnaire may have been part of preparations to reduce or stop American involvement in the U.N. system, in line with the Trump administration’s recent decisions to suspend foreign aid and freeze funds for the National Endowment for Democracy.
The funding cuts have plunged North Korean human rights groups into a fight for survival, with activists warning that their organizations are in danger of collapse.
North Korea slams US for sending ‘weird questionnaires’ to UN organizations
DPRK accuses US of imposing America First policy on UN, though expert says moderate tone seeks to avoid provoking Trump
https://www.nknews.org/2025/03/north-korea-slams-us-for-sending-weird-questionnaires-to-un-organizations/
Jooheon Kim March 21, 2025
Flags of U.N. countries in Geneva | Image: Mathias Reding via Pexels
North Korea has condemned the U.S. for sending “weird questionnaires” to U.N. and international organizations asking about potential affiliations with communist or anti-American groups, labeling it as an attempt to impose the “America First” policy on global institutions.
In a statement released Friday by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s permanent representative to the U.N. in Geneva, Jo Chol Su, condemned the inquiries as part of U.S. efforts to “use the international body as a tool for implementing its strategy for hegemony.”
He accused Washington of treating U.N. organizations as “an organ under the U.S. Department of State” and labeled such behavior as heralding a “McCarthyism of the 21st century.”
“Such behavior of inciting confrontation against the international trend aspiring after multipolarization deserves condemnation, and international community should remain vigilant so that the U.N. and other international organizations are not yielded to the unilateralism and arbitrary practices of the U.S.,” the statement reads.
The North Korean criticism appeared to refer to reports that the U.S. Office of Management and Budget sent inquiries with 36 questions to U.N. aid agencies, including the U.N. Refugee Agency and the International Committee of the Red Cross. One of the questions reportedly asked whether the organizations cooperate with groups or parties that support communist, socialist or anti-American ideologies.
Experts say North Korea often engages with U.N. mechanisms in order to present itself as a responsible international actor, and Friday’s statement appears to be an effort to paint the U.S. as just the opposite.
But Park Won Gon of Ewha Womans University’s Department of North Korean Studies said the DPRK’s response was restrained compared to its usual fiery rhetoric, suggesting that this may reflect an effort to leave the door open to diplomacy with the Trump administration.
“The DPRK has consistently raised concerns about fair international order, but they don’t specifically mention Trump; they just say ‘the U.S.,’” the expert explained.
Park added that North Korea is also concerned about Trump’s outreach to Russia over the war in Ukraine, which has provided the impetus for a surge in DPRK-Russia cooperation in recent years.
“The decision to adopt a more measured tone in official statements suggests that North Korea wants to express its concerns but avoid unnecessarily provoking the U.S.,” he said. “It reflects the uncertainty and the careful balance Pyongyang must maintain while dealing with the Trump administration.”
Jo’s role as a representative to the U.N. office in Geneva also means his statement “carries a lower level of authority” than those by North Korea’s foreign ministry or other similar institutions,” the expert said.
The U.S. questionnaire may have been part of preparations to reduce or stop American involvement in the U.N. system, in line with the Trump administration’s recent decisions to suspend foreign aid and freeze funds for the National Endowment for Democracy.
The funding cuts have plunged North Korean human rights groups into a fight for survival, with activists warning that their organizations are in danger of collapse.
Edited by Bryan Betts
11. Seoul investigating two North Koreans found on boat in Yellow Sea
Seoul investigating two North Koreans found on boat in Yellow Sea
Unification ministry exploring how to contact DPRK for potential repatriation as inter-Korean hotlines remain silent
Joon Ha Park March 21, 2025
https://www.nknews.org/2025/03/seoul-investigating-two-north-koreans-found-on-boat-in-yellow-sea/
A South Korean coast guard vessel in March 2021 | Image: NK News
South Korea is investigating two North Koreans reportedly found aboard a small wooden boat that drifted into ROK waters in the Yellow Sea this month, Seoul’s unification ministry confirmed on Friday.
But the lack of active inter-Korean communication lines could pose challenges for arranging their return.
“Relevant agencies are currently conducting necessary investigations into the two North Korean individuals,” a spokesperson told reporters during a regular briefing on Friday.
The ministry said it is reviewing how to communicate with North Korea regarding potential repatriation “in consultation with relevant agencies” if the individuals wish to return.
The DPRK stopped responding to regular inter-Korean hotline calls nearly two years ago, limiting Seoul’s options for communicating with Pyongyang about the two North Koreans in ROK custody.
The unification ministry declined to provide further details, and Seoul’s defense ministry refused to comment on related reports.
“Related agencies are still investigating the matter,” the ministry told NK News.
According to ROK media reports citing Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), a military patrol identified a small wooden vessel approximately 170 kilometers west of Daecheong Island at around 11:17 a.m. on March 7. The military subsequently coordinated with the Coast Guard to transfer the two North Korean individuals and their vessel to the relevant authorities.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reportedly conducted joint questioning, and the two individuals did not voice any intention to defect. Reports also indicated that authorities believe the boat likely crossed the Northern Limit Line by accident after experiencing mechanical problems and drifting across the maritime border.
The reported incident coincides with North Korean fishermen embarking on their annual “spring fishing” season, which began in mid-March, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Pyongyang’s state media reported that North Korean fishing boats departed for fishing grounds in the West Sea on March 12. The KCNA said fishery stations in South Phyongan Province had launched their seasonal fishing campaign, with fishermen from the Nampho Fishery Station setting out for the year.
There have been numerous cases of North Korean civilians accidentally drifting to South Korean waters in the past, as well as high-profile cases of defections by sea in recent years.
In Oct. 2023, the South Korean military crossed the inter-Korean maritime border to assist a stranded North Korean vessel, marking a rare entry into northern waters. Hours later, North Korean authorities towed the vessel back after its crew expressed a desire to return home.
At the time, inter-Korean hotlines remained unresponsive despite repeated attempts by South Korean officials to establish contact. Instead, Seoul relayed information about the distressed vessel through the U.N. and the International Maritime Telecommunications Network.
The South Korean military also deliberately informed the media while the rescue operation was ongoing, aiming to expedite the news’ reach to North Korea and prevent unintended clashes near the maritime border.
Seung-Yeon Chung contributed reporting to this article. Edited by Bryan Betts
12. Ukraine to consult with S. Korea, int'l community over N. Korean POWs: top envoy
Have these POWs even been mentioned in negotiations?
Ukraine to consult with S. Korea, int'l community over N. Korean POWs: top envoy | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- Ukraine's top envoy to Seoul said Friday his country will address the issue of North Korean soldiers being held in Kyiv through consultations with the international community, including South Korea, the unification ministry said.
Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko made the point during a meeting with Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho, the ministry said in a release.
Ponomarenko said Ukraine "will consult with the international community, including South Korea, on the issue of repatriating North Korean prisoners of war," the ministry said.
The ambassador also expressed his gratitude for the support and assistance from the South Korean government and people with regard to the situation in Ukraine, the ministry said.
Kim, in turn, reaffirmed that South Korea is ready to accept them if they express desire to come to the South, stating that South Korea regards them as its own citizens under the Constitution.
Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho (R) speaks with Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko (L) during a meeting in Seoul on March 21, 2025, in this photo provided by the unification ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
13. Sanctioned North Korean apples now for sale at major Russian supermarkets
Sigh...
Only in north Korea (and Russia)
Sanctioned North Korean apples now for sale at major Russian supermarkets
Cheap DPRK apples may benefit Russian consumers but constitute forbidden fruit under UN sanctions that Moscow approved
https://www.nknews.org/2025/03/sanctioned-north-korean-apples-now-for-sale-at-major-russian-supermarkets/
Anton Sokolin March 21, 2025
A mass games performance in Pyongyang featuring dancing apples | Image: Eric Lafforgue (Sept. 2012)
North Korean apples can now be found on display in supermarkets at major cities in the Russian Far East, despite violating U.N. sanctions on DPRK agricultural imports that Moscow once supported.
The DPRK firm Hwanggumsan, which recently registered its trademark in Russia, is supplying red apples to the Russian supermarket chain Remi, with the fruit available for sale in Vladivostok and Khabarovsk.
The initial price was about $1.5 per kilogram in early March, but rose to $2 in the following weeks, according to images published by local Telegram users and the DVHAB outlet.
The DPRK-grown apples pose serious competition to producers from China, South Africa and Iran, whose fruit sells for significantly higher prices at Remi.
North Korea has steadily increased its apple production since 2019 and ranked as the world’s 20th-largest producer in 2023, surpassing Japan, New Zealand, the ROK and U.K., according to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
North Korean apples sold at a Remi supermarket in Khabarovsk on March 17, 2025 | Image: DVHAB.RU used with permission, edited by NK News
1
2
3
But while cheap North Korean agricultural products may benefit local consumers, the import of the fruit also violates U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions prohibiting Pyongyang from supplying such produce to overseas markets.
UNSC Resolution 2397, passed with Russia’s support in 2017, lists food and agricultural products under Harmonized System (HS) Codes 7-8 and 12 as banned from export. Codes 7 and 8 cover edible vegetables and fruits, including apples.
South Korea’s unification ministry reportedly criticized the sale of the apples in Russia as a sanctions violation on Thursday.
“We once again emphasize that Russia, along with all U.N. member states, is obligated to comply with the U.N. sanctions against North Korea.”
Sanctions specialist and former U.N. Panel of Experts member Maiko Takeuchi previously raised concerns about Hwanggumsan Trading Corporation’s foray into the Russian market, after the company declared in a March 2024 trademark filing that it sought to supply “fresh fruit” alongside teas and beverages.
Apple harvesting at the Kosan combined fruit farm | Image: KCNA (Sept. 2023)
FRUITFUL TRADE
Hwanggumsan is one of at least 20 DPRK companies seeking to promote their products in Russia, according to NK Pro and NK News analysis of official records.
Among the most recent ones is Naegohyang Trading Company, a large conglomerate with ties to the DPRK military that produces cigarettes like the premium 7.27 brand and liquors including soju. Another North Korean alcohol manufacturer Taedonggang Brewery also registered its brand in Russia last year in a bid to enter the market.
One other possible sanctions violator is Joyang Textile Joint Venture Company, which seeks to sell fabrics and garments to Russia while partnering with China’s Yugiang Textile — both activities prohibited under U.N. sanctions.
But the list of potential violators may be much larger and include suppliers of medical electric equipment like Mirae Trading Company and food manufacturers such as Ryongson Trading Company, Kwangbok Kumgangsan Foodstuff Factory and Chugyong Foreign Economic and Technological Cooperation Company.
Takeuchi previously explained that DPRK firms often exploit loopholes in the sanctions regime by not listing prohibited items, such as fresh fruit, in their declarations and instead mislabeling them as “processed food,” which fall under different HS Codes and are less likely to draw attention as potential sanctions violations.
Persisting nomenclature issues often create “room for interpretation,” providing opportunities to label items in ways that benefit sanctions evaders, she noted.
North Korea and Russia have ramped up military and technical cooperation since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine, and bilateral commercial ties have also benefited from this development, with several dozen DPRK entities currently operating in the country, NK Pro previously found.
Similarly, Russian entrepreneurs are actively seeking to import products from a large number of North Korean companies, according to NK Pro analysis of official data.
In January, a Moscow-based businessman filed several import declarations in an attempt to bring in medicinal goods from three DPRK entities, including Pugang Pharmaceutical Corporation, a subsidiary of a U.N., U.S. and EU-sanctioned conglomerate Korea Pugang Trading Corporation.
Seung-Yeon Chung contributed reporting to this article. Edited by Alannah Hill
14. S. Korea, China to work on restoring cultural exchanges amid Beijing's content ban
(2nd LD) S. Korea, China to work on restoring cultural exchanges amid Beijing's content ban | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details from talks; TRIMS)
By Kim Seung-yeon
TOKYO/SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China agreed Friday to work together to restore cultural exchanges, raising expectations Beijing will lift its apparent restrictions on Korean entertainment and other content.
The two countries reached the understanding during the bilateral talks between Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tokyo, Seoul's foreign ministry said in a release following the talks.
Friday's talks came as the two Asian neighbors are seeking to manage and improve their bilateral ties as key economic and regional partners despite differences in the security realm.
"The two ministers agreed to work together to ensure that the restoration of cultural exchanges between South Korea and China would enhance mutual understanding between their peoples, and serve as an opportunity to further develop practical cooperation between the two countries," the ministry said.
Whether the issue of China's restrictions on Korean cultural content, such as K-pop and drama series, would be raised was a point of attention for Friday's talks.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (L) poses with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during their talks in Tokyo on March 21, 2025, in this photo provided by Seoul's foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Beijing has never acknowledged the imposition officially, but South Korea believes that China placed the ban after Seoul's deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system in 2016.
Expectations have grown recently over a possible easing of the measure, amid the two countries' efforts to improve bilateral relations.
At the talks, Cho made it clear that South Korea's "legitimate and lawful" maritime rights should not be affected by China's activities in the Yellow Sea, the ministry said.
Cho's remarks are seen as referring to last month's two-hour standoff between the two countries, when Chinese authorities blocked Seoul's attempt to investigate a steel structure China built in the overlapping waters in the Yellow Sea.
Wang, in response, suggested continuing communication between the two sides "with the recognition that mutual respect for maritime rights is important," according to Seoul's ministry.
On the possibility of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to South Korea, the two top diplomats agreed to work together to make his trip, if realized, an opportunity for a "new turning point" in bilateral relations.
Xi is likely to visit South Korea for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, due to take place in the southeastern city of Gyeongju between late October and early November.
"If President Xi visits, we hope to promote mutually beneficial and practical cooperation projects that will contribute to improving the livelihoods of people in both countries," Cho said in the opening remarks.
They also agreed to closely cooperate to deepen economic cooperation, including expediting negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement in the service and investment sectors.
Cho also asked for China to play a "constructive role" in addressing Korean Peninsula issues to encourage North Korea to halt its provocations and move toward denuclearization.
The talks between Cho and Wang took place ahead of the planned trilateral meeting involving their Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, set for Saturday.
Cho arrived in Tokyo earlier in the day. He plans to meet Iwaya for separate bilateral talks following the three-way dialogue.
Cho and Wang last held talks on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September last year.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (2nd from L) holds talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd from R) in Tokyo on March 21, 2025, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · March 21, 2025
15. Prime minister's impeachment verdict to be litmus test for ruling on president
Prime minister's impeachment verdict to be litmus test for ruling on president
The Korea Times · March 21, 2025
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attends a hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, Feb. 19. Joint Press Corps
Main opposition DPK proposes impeachment motion against acting leader
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment verdict could serve as a litmus test for the potential removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol, legal experts said Friday.
The Constitutional Court announced Thursday it will deliver its verdict on whether to uphold Han's impeachment at 10 a.m. Monday. However, the court has not yet disclosed the date for its ruling on the president’s impeachment trial for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
The ruling on Han’s impeachment will come 87 days after the National Assembly passed a motion to oust him for his alleged involvement in Yoon’s martial law imposition. His impeachment trial concluded on Feb. 19 after only one hearing.
At the core of Han’s impeachment trial are several allegations: his purported involvement in the president's martial law imposition, his refusal to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court, his refusal to appoint a permanent special counsel to investigate insurrection charges against Yoon, his failure to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee, and his efforts to manage state affairs alongside former ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon.
The prime minister argues that all grounds for his impeachment presented by the National Assembly are invalid, claiming he opposed Yoon’s martial law declaration and had no involvement in the mobilization of troops. If the court upholds the impeachment motion, Han will be removed from office. However, if the court rejects it, he will be reinstated as both acting president and prime minister.
Legal experts predict that Han’s impeachment will likely be dismissed.
“The charges brought against Han are serious, but not necessarily severe enough to warrant impeachment. It is also clear that Han was not an active proponent of Yoon’s martial law declaration,” said Cho Jae-hyun, a law professor at Dong-A University.
Pundits believe the verdict on Yoon’s impeachment will closely follow Han’s case, with the court possibly delivering its decision as early as March 28.
“I think the Constitutional Court is taking much longer than expected to issue its ruling on Yoon’s impeachment because justices are unable to reach a consensus. Another possibility might be that they are worried about public backlash in case of dismissing the impeachment motion. Regardless of the result and whether it’s a unanimous or a split vote, the court should deliver its ruling as soon as possible,” Cho said.
He also warned that justices should be insulated from political pressure in making their decisions. Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and a clear favorite to win if a presidential election is called, is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday to appeal a one-year suspended jail sentence for violating election laws.
Opposition party lawmakers submit a bill to impeach acting President Choi Sang-mok at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps
Tensions have been rising in recent weeks after the final hearing of Yoon’s impeachment on Feb. 25, with both pro- and anti-impeachment groups holding rallies in front of the Constitutional Court and in other parts of Seoul. Some opposition lawmakers have launched hunger strikes calling for Yoon's swift removal, while some Yoon supporters shaved their heads in protest against the impeachment.
Five opposition parties, including the DPK, introduced an impeachment motion against acting President Choi Sang-mok on Friday over his non-appointment of a ninth justice at the Constitutional Court.
Choi appointed two of the three justice nominees recommended by the National Assembly in December, but held off the appointment of opposition-recommended candidate Ma Eun-hyuk, citing a lack of consensus between the PPP and the DPK. In response, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik requested a ruling on the constitutionality of Choi’s decision.
In a unanimous ruling on Feb. 27, the Constitutional Court found that Choi’s non-appointment of Ma violated the Assembly’s right to recommend a justice to the court.
In response to the opposition bloc's move to impeach Choi, the PPP announced plans to file a coercion complaint against DPK leader Lee Jae-myung.
The Korea Times · March 21, 2025
16. Seoul wary of Trump's US Forces Japan budget cuts impacting USFK
Beware the DOGE algorithm
There is no strategic thought or operational or military logic among the wiz kids' analysis.
Hopefully cooler and wiser (and more mature) heads will prevail.
Seoul wary of Trump's US Forces Japan budget cuts impacting USFK
The Korea Times · March 21, 2025
U.S. Forces Korea troops participate in a joint exercise with Korean troops in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, during the Korea-U.S. joint Freedom Shield exercise. Yonhap
US defense spending cuts could affect Korea, analysts say
By Lee Hyo-jin
The Donald Trump administration’s reported decision to scrap a planned buildup of American forces in Japan has left Seoul concerned about the potential implications for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
Analysts said Friday that while an immediate impact on USFK is unlikely, Trump’s stance of cutting defense expenditures and pressuring allies to do more could complicate future negotiations with Korea over the stationing of 28,500 U.S. troops.
According to CNN, the Pentagon is considering substantial budget cuts, including consolidating combatant commands, scaling back education programs for the joint force and halting the expansion of U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ). The suspension of this expansion is expected to save approximately $1.18 billion, reports said.
These reports, if true, would mark a significant U-turn of U.S. pledges on alliance integration with Japan and could have an impact on neighboring Korea as well.
But Chun In-bum, a former Korean Army lieutenant general and ex-commander of the Special Warfare Command, said an immediate impact on American troops in Korea is unlikely.
He said the CNN report "summarizes the potential significant impact of the U.S. defense policy under the new Trump administration," but noted that it "has no mention of USFK."
"Although this does not mean USFK will not be impacted directly or indirectly by these policies, for the moment, USFK is focused on the maintenance of stability in Northeast Asia. For Korea, we must be a more capable ally to the U.S.," he told The Korea Times.
He also emphasized that the Trump administration’s decision to cut overall defense spending by 8 percent annually signals major changes, which could have both direct and indirect impacts on Korea.
In February, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon will pull 8 percent — or roughly $50 billion — from nonlethal programs in the current budget and refocus that money on the Trump administration's "America First" priorities for national defense. This was part of the department's plan to slash 8 percent of its budget each year for the next five years.
Earlier this week, Hegseth announced another $580 million worth of cuts, bringing the total money saved to $800 million since his February announcement, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to sign an executive order aimed at downsizing the Department of Education in a ceremony at the White House in Washington, Thursday (local time). UPI-Yonhap
Kim Yeoul-soo, an analyst at the Korea Institute for Military Affairs (KIMA), also projected that USFK would not be immediately affected by U.S. defense plans for Japan.
"If these reports are accurate, it seems Trump is focused more on reversing his predecessor's initiatives and cost-saving promises with allies. So I don't expect immediate impact for the U.S. troops stationed in Korea," Kim said.
In 2024, the Joe Biden administration and then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet agreed to upgrade USFJ into a joint force headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities, including the possibility of deploying a four-star commander to the country.
"Trump may not see this plan as essential as long as USFJ continues to function as a key front-line ally in the region," Kim said.
"It’s unclear what Trump’s broader policy will be toward Asian alliances, but one thing is certain: he wants to use Korea and Japan to counter China," the analyst said. "Trump has not yet commented much on USFK or Korea-related policies, so it’s too early to determine his stance. But as his defense officials and aides have noted, the Trump administration wants to keep China in check by using its forces in Korea."
Still, analysts believe that the defense cost-sharing issue could become a source of tension in bilateral relations during Trump’s term.
During his first term, Trump demanded that Seoul increase its share of defense costs from $900 million to $5 billion, a move that strained the bilateral alliance. He has consistently argued that Korea, as a wealthy nation, is not contributing enough toward its own defense.
The Korea Times · March 21, 2025
17. Want to End the Ukraine Conflict? Look at Finland's ‘Winter War’
And Korea:
Excepts:
The size, structure, manning and fundamental organization of the Korean DMZ offers a pretty good basket of precedents and questions for Ukraine. Should any deconflict zone be manned by Russians and Ukrainians? Or perhaps European Union troops on one side and Chinese on the other? How about forces from NATO and from Russia’s parallel group, the Collective Security Treaty Organization? Or a completely neutral United Nations peacekeeping force, recruited perhaps from South America and sub-Saharan Africa?
And how should it be organized? The Korean DMZ is a depth of 2.5 miles where no troops are supposed to be stationed (although both sides have built up military positions just beyond). And while it is primarily guarded by troops from the two Koreas, there is a UN force present as well, including American soldiers.
When it comes to Ukraine, there are plenty of combinations to consider, but the history of the DMZ is enlightening.
The other lesson from the Korean War is not pleasant: War can continue even after the shooting stops. The two Koreas are still technically in a state of war. And there have been frequent incidents, almost always provoked by North Korea, in which the militaries ended up exchanging artillery rounds, torpedoes or other forms of ordnance. Still, the armistice has held up.
Similarly, Russia and Ukraine are unlikely to reconcile fully any time soon, especially given Russia’s brutal war crimes. The Korean War shows us that it isn’t necessary to solve every problem at once. Nations can at least create a sensible ceasefire, leading to negotiations and then to an armistice. Don’t let the desire for a perfect outcome become the enemy of a pretty good one — especially if it allows the guns to go silent.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill: Sometimes to see into the future, you need to look further into the past. Looking at history, especially the Winter War and Korea, can help us see a better future for Ukraine.
Want to End the Ukraine Conflict? Look at Finland's ‘Winter War’
History has a sad lesson for Kyiv: It's usually sensible for a weaker combatant to give up a lot just to stay alive
March 20, 2025 at 1:00 AM EDT
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-03-20/want-to-end-the-ukraine-conflict-look-at-finland-s-winter-war?
By James Stavridis
James Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, a retired US Navy admiral, former supreme allied commander of NATO, and vice chairman of global affairs at the Carlyle Group.
Which one is really the world’s greatest negotiator? Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
In any negotiation over ending a war, history can be a powerful tool to create a path to peace.
I learned this lesson many times, particularly when I was the dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. My students and I analyzed the conclusions of dozens of seemingly intractable conflicts and diplomatic negotiations — from relatively small wars like the Falklands conflict between Britain and Argentina in the 1980s, to the massive global world wars of the 20th century.
Using the past as a guide is something we should bear in mind as negotiations to end the fighting in Ukraine grow serious, even as Russian tyrant Vladmir Putin continues to block progress with unacceptable demands.
At Fletcher, we would often run diplomatic “peace games” — like a military war game, but with the objective of bringing the sides together. Sometimes, one combatant or the other had a real or perceived military advantage. Other times, both sides were exhausted and more than ready for a mediator. And occasionally, it took a sweeping military victory to create the conditions for negotiations.
We often used period maps to help us visualize the challenges, and outside my office were original charts used in setting conflicts in the Middle East after World War II — some of which continue to this day, of course.
As I watched my teams — comprised of foreign service officers, active-duty and reserve military members, banking executives, historians of diplomatic history, and people from various other walks of life — grapple with a future scenario, more often than not it would be a military veteran who would say, “We need to look again at the history if we are going to figure this out.”
Now, looking at the vicious war in Ukraine and trying to conceptualize how it could end, I think of two 20th-century wars. The first is the “Winter War” of 1939-40 between Finland and the Soviet Union, and the other is the Korean War in the early 1950s. What can we learn from these two conflicts that might inform a settlement to the brutal combat in Ukraine?
Let’s start with Finland, where the parallels are quite strong. The war began with a surprise attack in November 1939, when the Red Army under Joseph Stalin conducted an unprovoked assault against a far-smaller neighbor. Despite being enormously outnumbered and outgunned, the Finns mounted a spirited and creative defense. Using the winter weather to their advantage, and improvised weapons like the famous Molotov cocktail, they fought the Soviets largely to a standstill. They are justifiably proud of their performance.
Whenever I went to Helsinki as supreme allied commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (long before Finland’s recent ascension to the alliance), I was taken to the Winter War Museum. It is an extraordinary depiction of human courage in the face of not only a brutal military foe, but also against Mother Nature’s best winter punch. When I finished my tour as NATO commander, the Finns presented me with a beautiful battle map of the war, which I display at my home today.
But here’s the bad news. The Finns ultimately were forced to give up about 11% of their territory to Russia. The enormous disparity in manpower and combat equipment ultimately made that inevitable. The Finns also had to pledge they would remain neutral and not join any coalitions of the West. It was an unpalatable choice, but it preserved Finland as a sovereign state.
The lesson here is clear: When faced with a more powerful opponent, you must maintain flexibility and be willing to trade land for peace. You may also have to forswear joining the defense alliances of your choice. Live to fight another day, as Finland did, and you may one day end up in NATO.
The Korean War has two powerful lessons to offer. North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, and fighting continued for three years. Difficult negotiations were required to bring the conflict to a ceasefire and then to an armistice.
The first lesson from Korea that applies to Ukraine is the imperative of creating a significant physical deconflict zone between combatants. The 160-mile Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea is now more than 70 years old. It has seen plenty of controversy and incursions from both sides — but the DMZ’s presence has helped preserve an uneasy peace on the peninsula.
The size, structure, manning and fundamental organization of the Korean DMZ offers a pretty good basket of precedents and questions for Ukraine. Should any deconflict zone be manned by Russians and Ukrainians? Or perhaps European Union troops on one side and Chinese on the other? How about forces from NATO and from Russia’s parallel group, the Collective Security Treaty Organization? Or a completely neutral United Nations peacekeeping force, recruited perhaps from South America and sub-Saharan Africa?
And how should it be organized? The Korean DMZ is a depth of 2.5 miles where no troops are supposed to be stationed (although both sides have built up military positions just beyond). And while it is primarily guarded by troops from the two Koreas, there is a UN force present as well, including American soldiers.
When it comes to Ukraine, there are plenty of combinations to consider, but the history of the DMZ is enlightening.
The other lesson from the Korean War is not pleasant: War can continue even after the shooting stops. The two Koreas are still technically in a state of war. And there have been frequent incidents, almost always provoked by North Korea, in which the militaries ended up exchanging artillery rounds, torpedoes or other forms of ordnance. Still, the armistice has held up.
Similarly, Russia and Ukraine are unlikely to reconcile fully any time soon, especially given Russia’s brutal war crimes. The Korean War shows us that it isn’t necessary to solve every problem at once. Nations can at least create a sensible ceasefire, leading to negotiations and then to an armistice. Don’t let the desire for a perfect outcome become the enemy of a pretty good one — especially if it allows the guns to go silent.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill: Sometimes to see into the future, you need to look further into the past. Looking at history, especially the Winter War and Korea, can help us see a better future for Ukraine.
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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
James Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, a retired US Navy admiral, former supreme allied commander of NATO, and vice chairman of global affairs at the Carlyle Group.
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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